Just picked up an early IX, give me your opinions....

[SignatureSeriesOwner]

Hi all,

Picked up an early VV-IX today, the serial # dates it to the first I'd say 3-4 months of 1911. It was made (I'm guessing) the day before they stopped making them with the bullet brake, as it's about 15 units before the serial they stopped at.

As you can see.....it is in quite rough shape.

Someone stuck a AC motor in there in the 20's or so, I don't know if it's a Victor or not, a tag says "Type I" and has a serial # on it, but I see no Victor tags. It's (IIRC) similar to the electric motor in my old VE 8-35X.

The wood is beat up, the finish has been redone in spots, someone ripped the hinge support out, replaced the knobs, and broke off the tonearm support bracket. Aside from all that, it's still with us.

I think I'm going to be in this more than it's worth in the end, but I'd like to bring it back to it's original state if I can.





Will any two spring motor work in this, or was there an "early" variant that is mounted differently? Does anyone make Victrola decals? If I can save this one, I will, but the finish is very cracked under the lid, and is in bad shape.

[zenith82]

At least it looks like all of the modifications can be un-done rather easily. There doesn't seem to be any extra holes drilled or openings cut anywhere.

I may be wrong, but I would think that a motor from any of the earlier IXs should fit.

[De Soto Frank]

When they got to the "footed" IX, with the crescent-shaped speed control, the crank was moved back to the center of the side panel, still near the bead moulding, but almost in-line with spindle.

Interesting that they kept the bullet-brake. That does appear to be a Victor motor-board... the leatherette covering on the turntables was usually found only on the portable orthophonics... you might recoup enough from selling the motor to subsidize gathering the correct parts.

I hope you can do this justice... the first thing that caught my eye were those "D" handles on the doors...

[mattrx]

I have a IX of similar vintage. No feet, but the crank is nearer the center. Crescent shaped speed control. I have a few parts left from a donor machine including the motor (2 springs in 2 barrels). The motor I have will need some work. PM me with a want list and I'll see what I can do to help. That is, if you decide to restore this machine.

Matt

[Jerry B.]

I believe the motor you need is a variation of the Vic III horn machine. The VV-IX was made for a long time and the model went through several motor variations. Jerry

[De Soto Frank]

I believe the "footed" cabinet came-out around 1915, and the "crescent" speed control somewhere around 1913 ?

I don't know how rare the early IX is... but this does seem worthy of a rescue attempt...


Around 1971, when I was about 4 years old, my folks went to a huge estate auction somewhere around Savage / Laurel, MD ( an antebellum plantation-style house, with a LOT of Lincoln-era furniture, and several talking machines ) and amongst their purchases was a 1915 Victrola IX, red mahogany, with a "matching" record cabinet, and a bunch of records.

As a kid, I was not allowed to touch the delicate hi-fi and its vinyl LP's... but for reasons unknown to me, I was allowed to play the Victrola as much as I wanted to.

So... I literally grew-up with a Victrola IX - "my" first Victrola. They are a fine-sounding machine.

Good luck with this one !

[Victrolacollector]

The machine you have will most likely not use the same motor as the later middle crank hole machines. You have the early forward crank machine. I am not sure which motor, but it would be one used from the outside machine horns. (maybe a early 2 spring as used in the early VV-VI)

[Phonofreak]

The motor of an early Victrola VI and VIII, will not fit or work with the Victrola IX. The motor on this machine used a variation of a Victor III motor. These motors were set up with the forward crank. These motors were used in the table top Victrola X and the earliest Spider legged X. These motors are scarce, but they do turn up.The case and hardware look in decent shape. Once you get the motor and knobs, you will have a fine, early machine. These early Victrola IX with the bullet brake is a cool machine worth restoring. What is the S/N of your machine?
Harvey Kravitz

[Victrolacollector]

I am not a expert on value...but i think the value of the early forward crank should be more than the later mid or rear crank models. I have a very early VV-IV And VV-VI and still looking for the short tone arm for the VV-IV Which was the same as the Victor I.